Speech Event Rules

DSDA SPEECH EVENT RULES

Overall, time limits are 8-10 for everything except extemp (5-7).  The 30-second grace period means they can over/under by that amount without penalty.  If they go over/under by more than 30 seconds, the only penalty is that they cannot be ranked 1^st.

A. Program Oral Interp (Prose/Poetry)- POI: NSDA rules 

       1.    General Information: Students will come prepared with a program, either prose, poetry or a combination of both.  

       2.    Prose:    Defined as a short story, a selection from a novel, a non-fictional work that has some emotional impact will qualify as prose.

       3.    Poetry:  Defined as one long poem (unrhymed or rhymed) or several poems related thematically or written by the same author will qualify as poetry.

       4.    Introduction: Each student should have an introduction to the presentation. It is not uncommon for students to begin with a part of the selection or with another short piece before they offer the audience the introduction they composed. The use of such a "Teaser" is appropriate but not necessary. The introduction should include a combination of the following:

              a.     It should provide necessary background information such as character, situation, and/or setting

              b.    It should set up expectations that are then fulfilled in the presentation.

              c.     It MUST name the author and title in a single source selection, but can note multiple authors.

       5.    Type of Literature: Decide if the literature is meant to be humorous, serious, or a mixture of both.

B. Dramatic Interp/Humorous Interp (DIHI): NSDA RULES

       1.    Choice of Selection: A student in this category may perform any of the following. All these choices are valid, interesting, and challenging in their own unique ways. The selection is memorized.

              a.    A monologue from a single play

              b.       A two, three, four, etc. person scene (continuous in form) from a single play

              c.      A series of monologues and/or scenes from a single play that focus around a theme but do not develop a plot-line

              d.       A two, three, four, etc. person scene from a play (not continuous but broken down into a series of scenes, logically arranged and separated by pauses)

              e.     A selection from any prose piece.

       2.    Introduction:      Refer to the comments under the ORAL INTERPRETATION OF LITERATURE section.

       3.    Special Concerns:

              a.     As this event is called a "performance," students are encouraged to imbue as much physical, vocal and emotional life into their characters as is necessary to make them vital and vibrant beings.

              b.    Judge on the performance, not on the material alone. A selection may not make you laugh or cry, but if it is performed well -- if characters are real, distinct, developing; if there is a sense of focus and space and visualization -- it must be raked higher than a performance that emotionally moves you to laugh or to tears but whose characters are not fully realized or believable, not well developed and whose concept of space is hazy.

C. Duo Performance: NSDA RULES

       1.    Choice of Selection:

              a.    The literature can be humorous, serious, or a combination of both.

              b.       Selections can be from plays, stories, or poems. Most, however, are from plays.

       2.    Introduction: Refer to the comments under the ORAL INTERPRETATION OF LITERATURE section.

       3.    Technique: The two performers, standing center stage, establish focal points; both, when looking straight ahead, or when angling inward, are looking at each other; when one or both turn outward in any way, direct eye contact between the characters is not being made. If "A" is in the room and "B" is not, but is just about to enter -- "A" faces the audience, "B" faces in the opposite direction, then "B" turns inward, pivoting in the direction of the audience.

       4.    Cuttings:

              a.     A cutting from a play may be continuous, without pauses or breaks.

              b.       A cutting from a play or prose may also be episodic, consisting of several scenes, the former ones leading logically into the later ones.

D. Original Oratory: NSDA RULES

The contest comprises only memorized orations actually composed by the contestants and not used by them during a previous season. No visual aids are permitted. The time limit is 10 minutes with a 30 second “grace period.” Not more than 150 words of the oration may be direct quotations from any other speech or writing and such quotations must be identified in a printed copy of the oration supplied upon request of the tournament director. Extensive paraphrasing from other sources is prohibited. This event will follow NSDA rules. 

E. Extemporaneous Speaking: NSDA RULES

This is a mixed division of both United States and International topic areas. We will procure topics phrased for contest use and based on subjects discussed in standard periodicals during the current school year; Each topic will be in the form of a question. Contestants may make notes during the preparation time, but the use of notes, cards, briefs or other aids is prohibited during the speech. The time limit is 5-7 minutes with a 30 second “grace period.” The Final Round will utilize a 2-minute cross-examination period. This event will follow NSDA rules.

 PLEASE NOTE that speakers will receive their topics and spend 30 minutes prepping in another room; they will arrive one at a time to speak for you.  They may choose to stay in the room afterward or they may leave. So, don’t be alarmed if you show up to your NSDA Campus Room and are the only person there.  If no one shows up within 10-15 minutes of the start time, please send a help ticket through NSDA Campus.     

F. Declamation: NCFL RULES

A selection used in Oratorical Declamation must have been originally delivered in the form a speech by its author, a person other than the present speaker. Time limits are 8-10 minutes with 30-second grace period. The speaker must have an introduction which is at most one minute and names the work, author, and describes the circumstances under which the speech was originally presented. The original speaker's words must not be altered for the presentation with the exception that cutting is permitted. Selections may include professional speeches, public orations, eulogies, and sermons.